U.S. patent number 4,258,387 [Application Number 06/085,461] was granted by the patent office on 1981-03-24 for video telephone.
Invention is credited to Christian Grund, Jerome H. Lemelson.
United States Patent |
4,258,387 |
Lemelson , et al. |
March 24, 1981 |
Video telephone
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for transmitting video data
over telephone lines. The apparatus is particularly applicable for
transmitting and receiving images of persons speaking to each
other. In one form, a portable self-contained unit is provided at
each end of a conventional telephone circuit wherein the
transducers of the mouthpiece and earpiece of each telephone are
respectively acoustically coupled to respective acoustic output and
input electrical-to-sound and sound-to-electrical transducers of
each self-contained unit for two-way audio and video communication
therebetween. Each unit, which may be contained in a single
housing, has a television camera directed and operative for slow
scanning the face of a person making the telephone call, a
television display screen and image retaining means for displaying
the image of a person having a similar unit at the other end of the
line, and a speaker and microphone which may be contained within
the housing or in a telephone hand set for receiving speech and
generating sounds of speech transmitted from the other terminal
circuits. Hard copy generating means, such as a picture printer,
may also be provided to print pictures of the images on the
television display screen when controlled to do so.
Inventors: |
Lemelson; Jerome H. (Metuchen,
NJ), Grund; Christian (Bronx, NY) |
Family
ID: |
22191767 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/085,461 |
Filed: |
October 17, 1979 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/14.01;
346/107.2; 347/108; 348/14.14; 348/E7.079; 379/100.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
11/066 (20130101); H04N 7/142 (20130101); H04N
1/00095 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
1/00 (20060101); H04N 7/14 (20060101); H04M
11/06 (20060101); H04N 007/12 (); H04N
007/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;358/85,229,254
;179/2C,2TV,1C,1HF ;360/33 ;D14/54,57,78,79 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
C Q Magazine, Apr. 1975, pp. 25-27, 64, 66, "The Venus Scientific
Slow-Scan TV Equipment". .
Elektor, Sep. 1976, pp. 907, 909, "A Telephone to Television
Domestic Information System". .
1977 Int. Conf. of Communications, (Jun. 12-15) pp. 19.6-47-50, "An
Advanced Home Terminal for Interactive Data
Communication"..
|
Primary Examiner: Britton; Howard W.
Claims
We claim:
1. Video-audio communication apparatus comprising in
combination:
a housing,
first means supported by said housing for receiving and
predeterminately positioning a telephone mouth-ear piece containing
a microphone and speaker,
microphone and speaker means supported adjacent said first means
and located to be respectively acoustically coupled to the speaker
and microphone of the telephone mouth-earpiece when
predeterminately located and supported by said first means,
a television camera secured to and supported by said housing and
directed to scan and generate picture signals of an area adjacent
said housing.
means for initiating and effecting automatic control of the read
means of said television camera and generating a video picture
signal on the output of said camera and means for applying said
video picture signal to said speaker means supported adjacent said
first means whereby said speaker means is modulated by said video
picture signal and generates sounds in the vicinity of the
microphone defining the mouthpiece of the telephone mouth-earpiece
unit supported by said first means.
2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a television
receiver fixedly supported with respect to said housing adjacent
said television camera, said receiver having an input connected to
said microphone means supported adjacent said first means for
receiving signals generated when the speaker defining the earpiece
of the telephone mouth-earpiece unit supported by said first means
is modulated with a video picture signal transmitted thereto on a
telephone circuit connected to another terminal circuit of the
telephone system on which other terminal circuit said video signal
is generated.
3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said housing is
a portable unit and said television camera and receiver are
supported within said housing.
4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which said television
receiver includes a viewing screen and means for generating a
television image on said viewing screen and an opening in a wall of
said housing exposing said viewing screen to the exterior of said
housing.
5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a second
speaker and a second microphone fixedly supported with respect to
said housing and respectively connected to the microphone means and
the speaker means located adjacent said first means to permit a
person in the vicinity of said housing to listen to conversation
made by a person at the other end of the telephone connection and
to permit the transmission of voice signals on the connected
circuit.
6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television
receiver includes a viewing screen and said television camera and
viewing screen are disposed one above the other adjacent a wall of
said housing to permit the face of a person to be scanned by said
camera and the eyes of the person whose face is being scanned by
said television camera to simultaneously view the viewing screen of
said television receiver.
7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including a speaker and
microphone located immediately adjacent said camera and viewing
screen and supported fixed with respect to said housing, said
microphone being operatively connected to said speaker means
supported adjacent said first means, said speaker being operatively
connected to said microphone means supported adjacent said first
means to permit two-way voice communication to be established
between a person whose face is being scanned by said television
camera and a person located at the other end of the telephone
line.
8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including amplifying
means supported within said housing for the voice signal generated
on the output of said microphone means supported adjacent said
first means.
9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television
camera is pivotally supported by said housing in a manner such that
its scanning axis may be variably adjusted to permit it to scan in
different directions with respect to said housing.
10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is
formed of two compartments pivotally joined together with one
compartment adapted to rest on a horizontal surface and the other
supported thereon in a vertical attitude, said television camera
being supported by said vertically extending compartment.
11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is
formed of first and second compartments, means for securing said
compartments together to form a carrying case thereof, means for
supporting one of said compartments at substantially right angles
to the other to permit it to be supported in a substantially
vertical attitude when the other compartment is supported on a
horizontal surface, a television receiver including an image
viewing screen and means for securing said television camera and
said receiver on the compartment which is adapted to be vertically
supported to permit the camera to scan the head of a person facing
said vertically supported compartment and the viewing screen of
said receiver to be easily viewed by said person.
12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, said first
compartment containing said first means and adapted to be supported
horizontally and a keyboard supported by said first compartment,
electronic means connected to the keys of said keyboard for
generating code signals representative of alphanumeric characters
when the keys of said keyboard and depressed, means for displaying
the data generated by the selective activation of the keys of said
keyboard on the viewing screen of said television receiver and
means for transducing said code signals to tone sounds on the
output of said speaker means to provide said data in a transducible
form for receipt by the microphone of the telephone mouth-earpiece
predeterminately positioned by said first means to permit said data
to be transmitted thereby to a remote telephone terminal circuit to
which said telephone is connected.
13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television
camera is adjustably supported by said housing to permit its
scanning axis to be varied and to permit it to scan the head of a
person facing said housing and the face of a document supported on
or adjacent said housing.
14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television
camera is operable to generate an analog video picture signal on
its output, means for digitizing said analog picture signal, a
memory for storing the digitized signals derived from a full frame
video picture signal generated by said camera, means for
reproducing the digital signals stored in said memory and
converting same to respective sound tones in the vicinity of the
microphone of the mouthpiece of the telephone mouth-earpiece
supported by said first means to permit the video picture
information to be transmitted on the telephone lines to a remote
telephone terminal circuit to which said telephone is connected.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting
and displaying video data, particularly employing conventional
telephone lines and conventional telephone terminal circuits at
which are located conventional telephone hand sets. In particular,
the system employs separate display units at the respective
telephone terminal circuits between which video and audio
communication is effected wherein either or both the display units
is acoustically coupled to the telephone of its terminal circuit
and may be operated without specially connecting same by means of
direct wiring to the telephone circuit.
It is known in the art to transmit slow-scan video picture signals
over telephone circuits wherein the image of the face of a person
making the telephone call is displayed on a display screen, such as
the face of a cathode ray tube and wherein such display may change
at fixed intervals which may vary from about every ten seconds to a
minute or so. Such systems have generally been prohibitively
expensive for use by the general public not only as a result of
their cost of fabrication but also because of their high
installation cost. The instant invention is drawn to a picture
telephone system employing portable units at both ends of the
telephone communication link wherein installation is merely a
matter of acoustically coupling the mouthpiece or microphone of a
conventional telephone with a speaker of the portable unit and the
earpiece or sound transducer of said telephone with a microphone
associated with the portable device. Such acoustical coupling may
be effected by merely placing the hand set of the conventional
telephone in a receptacle provided on the housing of the portable
device and, after the telephone line connection is made by dialing
or push-button means, providing power to the portable device for
electrically energizing the circuits thereof to display, amplify
and reproduce the audio information fed thereto. By utilizing a
pair of such devices, any two conventional telephone terminal
circuits of a telephone system may be employed to transmit video
information in two directions on the completed circuit for viewing
purposes and in a particular form of the invention, the video
signal from one terminal circuit to the other is transmitted in its
entirety while the other's video signal generating means is
deactivated and, when such transmission is complete the video
signal generated by the other terminal circuit may be transmitted
to the terminal circuit from which video transmission first
occurred, so as to avoid interference between the two video signals
on the connected line. In another form, both portions of the video
signal generated on the connected circuit by a television scanner
at one terminal thereof are interposed between portions generated
on the connected circuit by the television scanner of the other
circuit. The receiving circuits of each video display are
deactivated while the receiving circuits of the other are
activated.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a
new and improved communication system for both audio and video
communication.
Another object is to provide a communication system employing one
or more portable transmitting and receiving units for both audio
and video signals generated both at each unit when remote from each
other.
Another object is to provide a portable communication unit for
transmitting and receiving information in a plurality of different
forms including audio, still frame video, facsimile and digital
information forms.
Another object is to provide a portable unit which is easily
coupleable to a conventional telephone terminal and may be used as
a television terminal for the transmission of information on a
telephone line.
With the above and such other objects in view as may hereinafter
more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel
constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be
more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
but it is to be understood that changes, variations and
modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the
invention as claimed.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of electronic and other components of
a portable two way communication system for video and audio
information transmittable on conventional telephone lines.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portable unit forming part of the
system defined in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of a modified form of the
portable unit shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partial isometric view of a portion of the unit of FIG.
2 in an open and operable condition.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a hard copy printing sub-system
associated with the system shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portable electronic communication device 10
which is electrically powered by a suitable power supply 84, such
as a rechargeable battery, which supplies electrical energy for the
various components of the system through a plurality of manually
operated switches. The communication device 10 includes a
television camera 12 having a lens 13 for scanning an image field,
such as an image of a person located at the device and who is
seeking to communicate with another person in the system by means
of one or more telephone line communication channels. Control means
is provided in the form of a photoelectric sensor 14, the output of
which is connected to an amplifier and control circuit 15 for
compensating for the ambient light level presented to the camera
12. A supplemental light source 16, such as a small photo flood
lamp or other suitable lamp, may also be automatically controlled
to eliminate one or more subjects in the field scanned by the
camera in the event that the ambient light level falls below an
acceptable level in order for the camera 12 to properly operate.
The light source 16 may also be manually controlled through a
manual switch 17.
Signals for controlling the read-beam of the camera 12 are
initially generated by a sync oscillator 18 which, in the
embodiment illustrated, is a crystal oscillator controlled by means
of a suitable crystal to achieve the accuracy and stability
necessary for proper camera operation. Such crystal provides the
necessary synchronizatior pulses to a sweep generator 20 which
produces on its output a suitable waveform which it presents to the
synchronization-deflection control circuits of the camera through
an input 21 extending to the camera. The video signals representing
the image to be transmitted, pass through a video output 22 of the
camera 12 through a switch 11A to an analog-to-digital converter 23
in which said signals are converted to digital codes representing
the color and brightness levels of the image scanned by the camera
12. The coded output of the converter 23 is presented to a memory
24 through a memory Write-input port 25.
The sweep generator 20 is also connected to an analog-to-digital
converter 26 through a switch 11B and a transmission gate 27, which
gate is held by an inverter 28. Analog-to-digital converter 26
generates a digital code on its output, which code is a series of
signals representing a sweep signal voltage, and such signals are
passed to an address pointer 27 which determines the code of the
particular sequential word position in the memory 24 and represents
the particular pixel being scanned by camera 12, the color and
brightness signals of which are simultaneously presented to the
analog-to-digital converter 23. The code so generated is
transmitted to the memory 24 through input ports 28.
A depression of a normally open momentary contact switch 29 causing
it to close, results in the activation of a pulse generator 30 thru
a debounce circuit 31, which provides a single setting pulse to a
latch 32 each time the switch 29 is closed. Latch 32 activates an
input 33A of an AND gate 33 having a second input 33B which is
activated upon receipt of the next sync pulse which indicates the
beginning of an new full-frame scanning sweep controlled by sync
oscillator 18, the output of which transfers the pulse to the set
input/S of a latch 34 and also activates a clock input 35A of a JK
flip-flop switch 35. The Q output 35B of flip-flop 35 becomes
inactive upon receipt of the first pulse by the flip-flop 35. The
output of latch 34 is thereafter transferred to the write-enable
input 36 of memory 24 through an OR gate 37, causing the memory 24
to "Write" the word presented at inputs 25 in the position of the
memory as determined by the code generated on the address input 28
of the memory. This write or recording process continues
sequentially through the memory until the next sync pulse generated
by oscillator 18 is received by input 33B to the AND gate 33. Such
second pulse is transferred to the clock input 35A of the flip-flop
switch 35 through AND gate 33 and causes the flip-flop to toggle
again. This causes the P output 35B to resume its initial state
causing pulse generator 38 to generate a single short duration
pulse which is applied to reset latches 32 and 34, thus
deactivating the input 33A to the AND gate 33 and preventing the
passage therethrough of subsequent sync pulses. The action also
deactivates the OR gate 37 which controls the write enable input 36
of memory 24, thereby terminating the writing of new information in
the memory. As the address pointer 27 scans memory 24, the
information stored therein is sequentially presented to a
digital-to-analog converter 39 through read inputs 40 of the memory
24 and is converted back to an analog video signal which represents
the color and brightness levels of the pixels of the previously
recorded field. The video signal, so generated, is then conducted
throught a switch 41 and video input port 42A to a video
receiver-monitor 42, which, upon simultaneous receipt thereby of
sweep signals from sweep generator 20 through sweep input 42B,
displays the reconstructed recorded image field or scene which is
recorded in memory 24 for monitoring or previewing and possible
cancellation before its transmission. In other words, if the
picture so generated is not acceptable and is unfavorable, it may
be automatically cancelled by a second operation of the switch 29,
after which a new piture signal may be generated by the camera and
recorded as described.
If it is determined that the image recorded in the memory is
acceptable for transmission, a normally open, momentary contact
transmit switch 43 is manually closed. The closure of such switch
43 activates a pulse generator 44 through a switch debouncing
circuit 45, which transfers a set pulse to a latch 46. The output
of latch 46 is connected to activate an input 47A to an AND gate
47. The other input 47B to the AND gate 47, is activated by a pulse
received from a pulse generator 48, which is operable to generate a
pulse each time the input sweep control signal transmitted to
analog-to-digital converter 26 initiates a new cycle, which
indicates the beginning of a frame scanning sequence. When both
inputs of the AND gate 47 are energized, a pulse is transmitted on
the output of said gate to the set input S of a latch 49 and also
to the clock input 50A of a JK flip-flop 50, forcing its Q output
50B to be deactivated. The output of latch 49 activates a
transmission gate 51 to cause the slow sweep signals generated by
sweep generator 52 to be passed through such gate. Generator 52 is
operated at a much slower rate than sweep generator 20 and is
synchronized with the sync oscillator 18 by means of a frequency
divider 53 which is reset by signals generated by a pulse generator
54 to cause the divider to count to zero in response to the signal
generated on the output of latch 49 and the inverter 55. The fast
sweep generator 20 is simultaneously disconnected from the
converter 26 by the output of latch 49 as follows:
Latch 49 activates an OR gate 56 which, in turn, activates inverter
28, thereby deactivating transmission gate 27 stopping the passage
of fast sweep signals from generator 20 through switch 11B, the
output of which extends to the converter 26.
The memory 24 is thus scanned at a slow rate and its contents are
read and converted to analog signals by means of the
digital-to-analog converter 39 in the manner described. Such analog
signals are input to a modulator 57, which combines them with the
slow sync pulse received from inverter 55. The combined signals
convert the composite video picture signal to a form which may be
carried on ordinary telephone lines, such form being for example,
an FM signal which is modulated between 400 Hertz and two
Kilohertz. The output of modulator 57 is then transmitted to an
amplifier 57 through transmission gate 58 and an A.V.C. circuit 59,
the function of which is to maintain proper amplification and
output level of amplifier 57A. The output of amplifier 57A is
applied to drive a speaker 60 which is acoustically coupled to the
transmitter 61A of a telephone handset 61, thereby effecting
transmission of the visual image signal through the telephone
system.
At the beginning of the next sweep sequence, when the entire frame
in the memory 24 has been scanned, the pulse generator 48 transfers
a second pulse to the input 47B of AND gate 47, which second pulse
is subsequently transferred to the clock input 50A of the flip-flop
switch 50, which action toggles the Q output 50B to its active
state causing a pulse generator 62 to provide a reset pulse to
latch 46 and latch 49, thus deactivating input 47A to the AND gate
47 and stopping the passage of subsequent sync pulses through such
gate. Transmission gate 51 is also deactivated which stops the
passage of slow sweep signals from the generator of 52
therethrough. An input to OR gate 56 is also deactivated, which
subsequently causes the input to the inverter circuit 28 to become
deactivated, thereby activating the transmission gate 27, resuming
the passage of the fast sweep signals from the generator 20 to the
analog-to-digital converter 26 and returning the operation of the
circuits to the fast sweep mode for again displaying the contents
of the memory 24 on the screen of the monitor 42 as described.
Receipt of a short wave transmitted video picture signal is
accomplished as follows:
The audible signals emitted by the receiver 61B of the telephone
handset 61, are picked up and converted to electrical signals by
means of a microphone or any suitable transducer 63 and are
conducted to an amplifier 64 via A.G.C. circuit 65, which maintains
a constant volume output for amplifier 64 by varying the gain or
other parameter or subsequent application to a demodulator circuit
66. The demodulator circuit 66 outputs the received and demodulated
video signal to a sync separator 67. Video signal output 67A of the
sync separator 67 is then input to the analog-to-digital converter
23 through a switch 11A, and converted to digital form in the
manner indicated above. The sync output 67B of the sync separator
67 serves to set latch 68, the output of which is then applied to
activate the input 69A of an AND gate 69 and an OR gate 37, which
subsequently activates the write-enable input of memory 24 wherein
operation continues as previously described. The other input 69B to
the AND gate 69 is activated by the sync pulse received from the
sync output 67B of the sync separator 67. When both inputs 69A and
69B are activated, such sync pulse is transferred to the clock
input 70A of a JK flip-flop switch 70, toggling its Q output 70B to
an inactive state.
The signal generated on the sync output 67B is also conducted
through switch 11C to the slow sweep generator 52. The output of
the sweep generator 52 is conducted through switch 11B and
transmission gate 27 to analog-to-digital converter 26, which
functions thereafter as described. The incoming video signal is
thus written or recorded in the memory 24 in synchronization with
the other necessary signals transmitted thereto.
On receipt of a second sync pulse which marks the end of the
received frame signal, such sync pulse is processed and conducted
through gate 69 to the clock input 70A of flip-flop switch 70, thus
retoggling the Q output 70B of such flip-flop, to the active state
and causing a pulse generator 71 to generate a pulse which is
applied to reset latches 68 and 72. Latch 72, once set as
described, activates an OR gate 56 which causes inverter 28 to
inactivate transmission gate 27, thereby stopping the passage of
the slow sweep signals from generator 52.
The output signal generated from the output of latch 72 is also
applied to activate a transmission gate 73 allowing the passage of
the fast sweep signals from the generator 20 to the
analog-to-digital converter 26. The memory 24 is thus scanned at
the fast rate with subsequent display of the frame recorded in the
memory, on a monitor screen 42S as previously described, thus
displaying the received information.
When the next full-frame picture signal is received, a third sync
pulse is generated on output 67B of sync separator 67 which pulse
is transferred to the output of AND gate 69. Such pulse is further
conducted through a switch 74 to the reset input of latch 72 which,
in turn, deactivates OR gate 56 causing inverter 28 to turn on or
activate transmission gate 27, thus passing the slow sweep signals
from generator 52 through switch 11B to the analog-to-digital
converter 26. The signal generated on the output of latch 72
deactivates transmission gate 73, thus stopping the passage of fast
sweep signals from the generator 20, with subsequent recording and
sweep speed switching being effected as indicated above.
If manual resetting is desired, the reset input to the latch 72 is
connected to a momentary contact, manually operated switch 75
through switch 74 which, when operated, will reset latch 72 with
subsequent operation as described.
System 10 may also be operated with a transceiving computer
terminal. Information keyed or otherwise generated by means of the
selective operation of a keyboard 76, is output in coded form to a
suitable modem 77 and thence to an amplifier 57A thru an AGC
circuit 59, which subsequently drives speaker 60 which is
acoustically coupled to handset 61 as described. The entered
information is also transmitted to and recorded by a memory 78
through a switch 79 and therefrom to a character generator 80, a
video driver 81 and a switch 41 to display the latter on the screen
42S of the video monitor or receiver 42.
Incoming signals received from handset 61 are converted and
amplified by a microphone 63, an AGC circuit 65 and an amplifier
64. The demodulator 82 separates the incoming signals from the
modulation and the connected decoder 83 converts such signals to
appropriate digital form for application to memory 78 through
switch 79. Subsequent thereto, character generator 80 and video
driver 81 cooperate to generate video signals representative of the
contents of the memory 78 by passing said signals through switch 41
for subsequent display on monitor 42, thereby displaying the
received information once more. It is noted that all circuits are
synchronized by sweep generator 20.
Power supply 84 supplies suitable electrical power for all its
active circuits of system 10 and may comprise a battery or other
source of electrical energy. A manual switch 85 connects such power
supply to the circuits illustrated and deactivates such circuits
when opened.
In FIG. 2 the major components of system 10 of FIG. 1 are
illustrated. A self contained unit includes a housing for receiving
and retaining all components of the system 10. The self contained
unit includes an attache-like case 86 having a pivoted top portion
86A which is hinged to a bottom portion 86B by means of hinges 86C
and 86D and is easily openable to expose the operating components
of the system. Mechanical latches 86E, 86F, 86G and 86H, are
provided to close the case 86 when not in use. A handle 86J is also
shown and is included for ease of carrying or transport of the
device.
Within the housing 86 is contained mounting panels 87A and 87B on
which are supported all of the switches and controls described and
defined in FIG. 1.
Additional components and features of the container 86 include a
storage compartment 12A in which the television camera 12 may be
stored, another compartment 16A for storing light source 16 to be
used with the camera, a hinged support 12B for supporting the
television camera as system 10 operates, a battery compartment
including a cover 84A with a depression 84B for removing the cover
allowing access to the rechargable battery, a ribbon cable 88 for
connecting circuits devices located within the container with the
other components indicated in the schematic diagram and a
compartment 61C for containing a telephone handset, such as
illustrated in the schematic diagram, in which compartment is
disposed the described microphone 63 and speaker 60 in proper
position to permit their coupling with the telephone handset
mouthpiece and earpiece; a compartment 89 in which is stored a line
cord 90 for connecting system 10 to line current, if necessary or
for charging the battery 84. A television camera and light
extension arm assembly 91 is stored in compartment 89. Also stored
within the container 86 are folding devices 91A and 92A for cables
and a keyboard 76 supported within a compartment 76A.
FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of the system 10 for transmitting
facsimile information, such as document or picture signals, on
telephone lines. The television camera and lamp support assembly
93, which contains swivel joints 93A to 93 D for adjusting the
position of the camera, is fitted into and supported by holder 91A
in a manner to support the camera 12 on the end of an arm 91 when a
clip 12C, which is attached to the camera, is secured to the
support. This positions the camera directly above a support 94S for
document 94. The extension 93 also supports the camera flood-light
16 when a clip 16B supported by the light socket, is attached
thereto to permit the document to be properly illuminated for
proper video camera scanning. An extension cord 16C extends from
the recess 16A in which the light source 16 is stored, to such
light source when such light source is supported at the end of
jointed arm assembly 91 as shown for providing suitable electrical
energy for power such light source and also contains a pluggable
connector 16D at its end to connect it to the light source housing.
A second extension cord and cable 16D extends from the recess 12A
in which the camera 12 is stored and contains wires for supplying
power to operate the television camera and transmit the camera's
video output signals to the circuits shown in FIG. 1. Notations 12E
and 12F refer to stress relief grommets for the cables 16C and 16D
supported by the side walls of the recesses 16A and 12A. Support
94S for the document 94 to be scanned contains a prepositioning
frame or stops 94R for prepositioning the document for proper
scanning by the video camera 12 when the support 94S is properly
located on the panel or cover 84A for the battery compartment by
disposing the latter against the side walls of the compartment or
container 86B. The television camera 12 may be easily detached from
its hinged mount 12B as shown in FIG. 2 to permit it to be retained
by its support clip 12C at the proper location on the arm 93 as
shown in FIG. 3 for properly scanning a document.
In FIG. 4 is shown an operating arrangement in which the manually
operable keyboard 76 is supported outside of the case or container
86 to permit easier access thereto. A holder 92A, which is attached
to the rim of the bottom part 86B of the container 86 is operable
to receive a holding clip 92B which is attached to the support for
the keyboard 76 and to hold the keyboard thereon. Keyboard 76 is
electrically connected to system 10 through an extension cord 76B
which extends through grommets 76C and 76D in openings the wall
portions of the keyboard support and the container 86 as shown.
FIG. 5 shows the system 10 modified or added to for the production
of hard copy of information received on a connected telephone
circuit from a remote location containing a similar device or from
the output of camera 12 and/or the keyboard 76. A hard copy printer
96, such as a facsimile printing device of conventional design, a
cathode ray tube printer, a laser line printer, ink jet printer or
other device, has as inputs thereto terminals 96A and 96B extending
from the sweep generator for the television camera 12 and the
picture signal element generator 39, which is the described
digital-to-analog converter receiving the picture information
elements from the memory 24. Upon closure of a normally open switch
95, signals presented to the terminals of the hard copy printer 96
and the automatic operation of such printer will cause the printer
to print and provide a hard copy of the information fed thereto,
which hard copy will be delivered as a sheet from a slotted opening
96A provided in the side wall of the upper part 86A of the case or
housing 86 in which is contained such hard copy printer.
In the event that it is desired to listen to conversation from the
remote terminal without picking up the telephone handset 61 from
its operable position in the recess 61C a speaker 60A is provided
which is supported by the front panel 87A of the housing section
86A as shown in FIG. 2 and is connected through an audio amplifier
63A and a manually operated switch 63S to the micorphone 63 to
which the mouthpiece or speaker 61B of the telephone handset 61 is
coupled. The bistable manual switch 63S permits the operator or
user of the communication device 10 to receive and listen to the
voice of the person at the other end of the telephone line after
the video signal has been transmitted or before such transmission
without removing handset 61 from the cradle or recess 61C provided
in housing section 86B. Switch 63S may also be automatically
controlled or replaced by a suitable filter circuit and control to
pass only audio speech signals to the speaker 60A.
Also provided and supported by the panel 87A at the front of
housing member 86A is a microphone 98 which is connected to the
amplifier 57A when a manually operated bistable switch 99 is closed
to permit the operator of the device 10 to speak directly to a
person at the other end of the connected telephone circuit without
removing the headset 61 from its cradle position in the recess or
cavity 61C. The microphone 98 may be filed to the panel 87A or may
be connected to a length of cable to be removable from the recess
in the panel in which it is seated and held by hand or on the end
of an extendable support near the mouth of the person using the
device 10 for communication with a person at a remote terminal
circuit of the telephone system to which the device 10 is
coupled.
Variations in the system 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings
include the following:
I. The television camera 12 and/or its optical system may be
pivotally or otherwise supported for multiple axis adjustment of
its scanning axis. In other words the scanning axis of the camera
may be adjusted in both the horizontal and vertical directions.
II. The television camera 12 may also be supported higher on the
compartment 86A than illustrated. It may also be supported on a
track or rod extending in the vertical direction and supported by
either or both the compartments 86A and 86B, and may be adjustably
moved on said track.
III. Additional support may be provided in the form of one or more
brackets, slides or legs pivotally secured to the vertically
extending compartment or housing member 86A for supporting it
vertically on the other compartment 86B as shown in FIG. 2.
IV. One or two axis movement of the television camera 12 may be
effected by the operation of one or two motors which may be locally
and/or remotely controlled in their operation.
Television camera focus as well as its scanning axis may be motor
controlled wherein such motors are operable from the remote
telephone terminal circuit by the operator thereat transmitting
suitable tone control signals on the connected line to which
signals suitable tone responsive relays or the like are responsive
for controlling operation of such motors, for remote control of
camera focus and scanning axis location or attitude.
V. The folding or pivoted assembly of the compartments 86A and 86B
may be replaced by a single right angle structure defining a
keyboard horizontal portion supporting a vertical portion thereof
containing the video monitor screen and the movably adjustable
television camera adapted to scan either the person operating the
keyboard or facing the television receiver screen and to be pivoted
or employing an optical system for scanning a document disposed on
a receiving portion of the horizontal portion for generating the
described facsimile signals of documents on the connected telephone
circuit. The described hard copy printer may be supported within
wither the vertical or horizontal portions of such a structure.
VI. A data composing and automatic transmission system may be
provided employing the system 10 wherein the keyboard 76 is
manually operated to generate characters which are displayed on the
display screen 42S of the monitor 42 as lines of characters and,
when a complete page or message has been so composed, it may be
automatically transmitted to the remote terminal circuit to which
the telephone 61 is connected by the proper operation of switch 41
to cause the displayed information to be read by the read beam of
the monitor and transmitted to the input of modulator 57 the output
of which is connected as described to provide such information in a
transittable form on the speaker 60 coupled to the microphone of
the headset 61 of the telephone.
* * * * *